the good old days (p)

[Aspenfang]

Aspenfang laid sprawled, soaking in the midday sun. She had given her apprentices the day off from training, figuring that Spiderpaw could use some time to socialize and Thunderpaw would want to rest up before his warrior assessment. Jaguarpaw and Ravenpaw weren't around all that much, so the tabby figured they wouldn't mind either way. Feels good to relax, she thought, about to doze off when she spotted a familiar ginger she-cat. "Firebird ?" she gasped, quickly sitting up. Wow, is that really her? Aspenfang blinked in disbelief, barley recognizing her kin. The tabby eagerly approached her old friend, grinning ear to ear, "Firebird! It's been forever!" I don't think I've seen her since... well, since before I became a warrior! 

[Firebird]

With a couple new apprentices under her paws, Firebird had begun to remember her old days as a busy FireClan warrior. Too many moons of relaxation and disappearing acts lead the she-cat a little out of practice, but in all honesty, it felt amazing to get back to her old routines and such. Firebird felt... like she was helping her Clan again. It was nice.

A voice broke her thoughts apart, and Firebird paused in confusion, turning and almost expecting it to be one of her apprentices. But her moss green eyes widened at the figure, a much older version of her half-sister Aspenpaw.

"...Aspenpaw?" the warrior meowed, even more confused now, but happiness bloomed over her features in seconds. "You're-- you're back? It really has been forever, Aspenpaw!"

She paused again, curiously. "You don't look that much like an apprentice anymore, though. Did you get your warrior name yet?"

[Aspenfang]

Aspenfang nuzzled her half sister affectionately, her mind buzzing with everything she had to tell the other she-cat. So much had happened since they last met up! "Yup, I'm Aspenfang now," the tabby grinned her signature goofy grin. She had asked to be named after her best friend Thrushfang, who had disappeared during one of Aspenfang's absences. It was rumored that her best friend had joined StarClan, although Aspenfang still hoped that she was alive and well somewhere. "So much has happened..," the she-cat blinked affectionately, "hey, why don't we go for a walk?" she pointed at the camp entrance with her tail. She felt strange just gabbing in the center of camp, and figured that the borders were always needing a once-over anyway, "it'll give us a chance to catch up! I heard you and Foxclaw have some little rascals running around, you're gonna have to tell me how that happened!" she laughed, remembering her sister's crush on the tom during apprenticeship and happy that they got together. She had some kits of her own as well, although none of them seemed to be around these days...

[Firebird]

Firebird seemed to brighten at the name, because, yeah, Aspenfang was a pretty cool warrior name alright. And it was a nice feeling... having a living, breathing sister still in FireClan. Firebird was only close to Aspenfang and Lavenderpaw in her lifetime, and with each one disappearing over time... the ginger she-cat was left very much alone in the regard to parents and siblings. She faintly knew of older kits of Snowflare living in FireClan, moons ago, but Firebird never found the time to connect with them. And by the time she had the courage, those little rumored siblings were gone.

But now... Aspenfang was back. And Firebird couldn't stop smiling at that knowledge. "A walk sounds fantastic." Firebird breathed with genuine relief, already wanting to spend as much time as possible with her formerly missing sister. She walked casually beside Aspenfang as they talked, and left FireClan's camp behind.

Firebird instantly felt her fur grow warm at the teasing, and blushing ears folded back slightly in embarrassment. "A-ah, just a few of them. It's even scarier seeing that they have little rascals themselves. And soon, I worry I'm going to become an old great grandmother...." she tittered. Her oldest son Thunderfox's kits were already almost, or already, at the age of warriorhood. And Speckflame's daughters were six moons old.

"I remember you and Speckheart used to have a thing." Firebird teased back, softly. "And I think-- hey, wait a second... I swear there was an Aspenfang in FireClan who has kitted in the past year or so." Her moss green eyes widened in disbelief. "Was that... you?"




{ sorry for the really late response, have been unable to get to decent internet until just now!

[Aspenfang]

(It's okay! I've been a bit busy lately, so I don't really mind a late reply :>)

Aspenfang grinned and began heading towards the camp entrance, going at a slow pace so that the tabby could keep a conversation going without getting out of breath. She'd figured the two could dawdle down to the blossom pond by the RockClan border, Aspenfang liked the way the cool water tasted and it was a nice place to take a break. She glanced over at Firebird with a flash of a soft smile. She didn't have many cats to talk to these days, instead she busied her time with training apprentices or taking nice long naps, as she's been prone to do. It was an easy life, and although she lacked companionship she's was generally happy.

"Grandkits? Already?" the russet tabby shoved the other warrior's shoulder lightly, "you are getting old! You'll have to introduce me to all of them sometime, I'm sure they're all just as cute as you," she sent her sister a teasing wink, followed by a few giggles, "and I'll have to meet up with my brother-in-law as well. He never seemed to like me very much when we were apprentices... hopefully we'll get along better now that we share kin." Aspenfang looked at her sister kindly, if Firebird likes him he must be a good tom. During her apprenticeship she wasn't too sure how she felt about Foxclaw, but she trusted her sister's judgement.

It was Aspenfang's turn to flush now. "We did, at least I thought we did," she looked down at her paws, feeling like an apprentice, "but I haven't seen him for moons," she sighed, then looked at her sister with a half-hearted smile, "and I do have a few kits running around, but they're not his. And I haven't seen them for awhile either..." she wanted to be close with her kittens, but it seemed that they shared her knack for disappearing. Her tail drooped. Not want to speak of such depressing matters, Aspenfang perked her head up and sent Firebird an excited glance, "oh, but I do have more than a few apprentices running around as well! In fact I just finished Thunderpaw's training the other day, he'll be having his warrior ceremony by the end of the week," her chest pricked with pride.

[Firebird]

Firebird laughed at that. "I know! But that goes for you, too, in feeling old. You're someone's great aunt." she teased back. And at the suggestion, Firebird cocked her head to the side curiously. It was actually a good idea to meet her family. Sure, they had extended pretty far down FireClan's bloodline, but she loved family. How could she not make time for every little kitten in her family tree? Firebird wanted to be known as the awesome grandmother! "I'll have to meet all the grandkits first-- it's difficult to find time for everyone, and they grow up so fast...."

At the mention of Foxclaw, the ginger warrior gave a slight widening of her eyes in surprise. She hadn't ever payed attention to Aspenfang and Foxclaw's relationship as an apprentice. Had they really not have gotten along very well? "Really? I never noticed you two weren't friendly with one another." she hummed, smiling now one more. "I'm sure you two can get along now, though."

Firebird appeared sad now. She missed Speckheart an incredibly amount. So many days she had shared with her two best friends were all just faded memories now. The trio of Firepaw, Foxpaw and Speckpaw running around FireClan made her want to giggle with happiness at the memories. But those times were so long ago. And she missed every moment of them. "Neither have I. Speckheart... joined the majority of Clan cats in suddenly disappearing." she murmured. "I... I did name my son after him, though. Perhaps you should meet Speckflame sometime-- or, uh, not. He has a heart of gold, but the way he goes about showing love and care...." She hesitated at that, not wanting to outright say her son was breaking the warrior code. And... had been for many, many moons now in flirting and befriending enemies.

"So you do have kits?! Oh, Aspenfang, why didn't you tell me?" It hurt to hear that her nieces and nephews were missing as well. But Firebird quickly stated, "They'll come back. You'll see." In a comforting way.

"Oh, apprentices? I actually see you as being the mentoring type of cat." Firebird purred. "And congrats on finishing Thunderpaw's training! I'll have to attend his ceremony when it happens."

[Aspenfang]

Aspenfang stuck her tongue out, "yeesh, don't remind me!" her tail wagged happily from side to side despite her words, "we should get all the family together sometime, have a big family meeting! A reunion, of sorts," the tabby smiled at the thought. Dandelion hill would be a good place, the warrior thought, liking the idea of getting to mix and mingle with all her kin. She knew that she could do that anytime she wanted int camp, but dedicating a day, or even just an afternoon, to doing so sounded special.

The tabby warrior smiled sheepishly, "yeah, we never argued or anything like that, but he used to always give off this weird vibe. He even stalked me and Speckheart once! It was a little silly, I think he was just being protective over his brother," Aspenfang laughed, remembering when her and Speckpaw had found Foxpaw watching them from the bushes. 

"I wanted to... I just never found the right time," the she-cat gave a halfhearted smile and a shrug. "I hope you're right, I'd love to get to spend more time with them," it was wishful thinking, but Aspenfang allowed herself a few fantasies of being reunited with her lost kits every now and then. But, whether she was with them or not, she'd be happy just knowing that they were safe.

"Thanks!" Aspenfang purred, perking up, "I mean, I had more than enough practice being an apprentice myself, so mentoring's been coming rather easy to me," the tabby chuckled, "I'm sure he'd enjoy that. It'd be nice to give him a little crowd after all his hard work."